Gynecological appliance.



PATENTED SEPT. 25, 1906.

J. H. BALLARD. GYNEGOLOGIGAL APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED MAB-.21. 1906.

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JOSEPH H. BALLARD, OF VANCOUVER. BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA. GYNECOLOGICAL APPLIANCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 21, 1906. Serial No. 307,198.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J osEPu H. BALLARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, Canada, have invented new and useful Improvements in Gynecological Appliances, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a gynecological appliance designed to enable a patient to self-apply a medicated tampon to the vagina.

The proper treatment of gynecological diseases is frequently unduly delayed through a natural reluctance on the part of the patient to submit to the application by a medical man of the treatment required. This device has therefore been designed to enable the proper treatment to be self-applied under directions which will be furnished with each one sold.

The device is particularly described in the course of the following specification and illustrated in the drawings by which it is accompanied.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 a sectional plan, of the device. F 3 is a side elevation, parts being broken away and showing the parts in another position from that shown in Fig. 1.

The appliance consists, essentially, of op posed dilator members 2 and 3, which together comprise an elongated tapered form adapted to be conveniently entered into the passage of the vagina. The adjacent sides of these dilator members are hollowed out to receive and hold between them a medicated tampon and for a further purpose, which will appear later. They are formed with handle members 4, projecting from the lower end at such an angle, approximately one hundred degrees, in the side elevation as will enable the combined dilating members to be conveniently self-applied. The handle members are pivotally connected together by a pin 5, and the dilator members 2 and 3 are normally held together by a spring 6 between the grip portions of the handle members 4.

Between the dilator members and the pivot-pin 5 a screw 7, having a milled head, is tapped through one of the handle members and bears against the inner side of the other. By this screw the dilator members may be forced apart against the resistance of the spring 6, or the limit of their movement toward one another may be adjusted.

Freely slidable in the space between the hollowed adjacent sides of the dilator mem- Patented Sept. 25, 1906.

bers 2 and 3 and guided therein by a loop 8,

secured to one of them, is a stem 9, the length of which is approximately that of the dilator members. The lower end of this stem is connected by a pin 10 th a lever 11, mounted on a fulcrum-pin which is pivotally 12 on a downward extension of the pivot-pin 5. The under side of this lever 11 is preferably flattened and is curved somewhat, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, so that the fingers may conveniently be applied to either side of the fulcrum to operate the stem 9 in either direction.

In the use of the appliance a medicated tampon suitable to the requirements of the case and prepared in accordance with printed instructions furnished with each one sold is placed between the upper ends of the dilator members 2 and. 3 and will be retained by the pressure of the spring 6. The tampon is then passed into the vagina by the patient. The grip of the dilator members is then relieved by means of the screw 7, and the tampon is projected from between the dilator members by the upward movement of the stem 9 on application of the fingers to the lever 11 adjacent to the pin 10 and the appliance withdrawn. The tampon may be removed by a string attached to it, or the device itself may be used for the purpose by a reversal of the procedure.

I am aware that rectal specula have been used of a form similar to the appliance which is the subject of this application; but such have not been adapted for the purpose intended by my appliance in that they have not been provided with nor have required the slidable stem between the dilator members, and although dilators having a stem slidable between them may have been previously used they have not been adapted for self-application.

I therefore declare that what I claim as new, and desire to be protected in by Let ters Patent, is-

1. A gynecological appliance, comprising opposed dilator members, pivotally-connected handle members projecting therefrom at an angle approximately one hundred degrees, a stem slidably mounted in the inner side of one of the dilator members, means pivotally connected with the handle members for endwise moving the slidable stem, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a device of the class described, the

combination with opposed dilator members having pivotally-connected handle members projecting therefrom at an angle of approximately one hundred degrees, of a stem slidably connected to the inner side of one of the dilator members and means for endwise moving such stem, such means comprising a lever pivotally connected to the stem and fulcrumed below the common axis of the, handle members.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with opposed dilator members having pivotally-connected handle members projecting therefrom at approximately one hundred degrees, of a stem slidably connectedto the inner side of one of the dilator mem- 

